Flashlight



Oct. 26, 1937. E. H. TOMPKINS ET AL 2 ,097,222

FLASHLIGHT Filed May 2, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVEN'I 0R5 meraon H. Torn kins. onald L.$pe r- Oct. 26, 1937. E. H. TOMPKINS ET AL 2 I 2,097,222

FLASHLIGHT Filed May 2, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Emerson H7bmp/(im, B Donald L.$ponder.

- V ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 26, 1937 2,091,322 rmsmen'r Emerson 11. Tompkins and Donald L. Spender,

Waterbury, Conn., assignors to Scovill lhnm, facturing Company, Waterbury, Conn., a. corporation of Connecticut Application May 2, 1930, Serial No. 17,579

14 Claims.

' This invention relates to electric flashlights of the portable or hand type, and more particularly to such a flashlight in which the head and base of the casing are streamlined to reduce the wearing of the pocket of the user, and to facilitate the manipulation thereof.

One object of this invention is to provide a flashlight of the above nature which may be very easily disassembled and assembled, and in which the lens is supported in a shock absorbing mountcompact, ornamental in appearance, and very ef- "flcient and durable in use.

With these and other objects in view there have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings several forms in which the invention may be conveniently embodied in practice,

In the drawings? Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a flashlight embOdying the features of this invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. 7

Fig. 3 is an end view of the head of the flashlight.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the base of the same.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the flashlight casing.

Fig. 6 is an end 'view of the same.-

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the flashlight head.

Fig. 8 is a similar sectional view of the base cap.

Fig. 9 is a similar sectional view of the front lens holder and reflector in assembled position.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the spare bulb holding disc.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the same, taken on the line Il-Il of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a side view of the battery-engaging coiled spring employed in the base cap of the flashlight.

Fig. 13 is a side view of the coiled spring employed in the head for pressing against the reflector.

(Cl. Mil-10.66)

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary bottom view of the, coiled spring shown in Fig. 12.

The flashlight selected to illustrate the features 01' this invention comprises generally a central body unit IS, a head unit It, and a base unit l1. 5 The body unit I! (see Fig. 5) comprises a tubular casing or shell l8 having an open rear end l9, which is reduced in diameter and provided with external threads 20, and a closed forward end 2|, which is likewise threaded at 22. A lamp 1o bulb receiving socket 23 having a flange 24 is secured to the upper wall 25 of the forward end 2| of the shell I 8 by four tubular rivets 26. A manually operated electric switch 21 and a conductor structure 28 are provided, whereby the upper contact 28a. of the battery 29 of dry cells may be connected when desired to a lamp bulb 30 disposed in the socket 23. The switch 21 is housed in a domed escutcheon plate 3|, suitably secured to the shell l8 as by tubular rivets 32. The particular construction of the switch and conductor is similar to that disclosed in the Prior patent to Joseph F. Moran, No. 1,874,788 of August 30, 1932.

Head unit The head unit It includes a pear-shaped cap member 34 which is circumferentially enlarged or bulged. outwardly toward the forward end, as at 35, and is provided with a circular front opening 36. The cap 34 has an inwardly tapered rear section 31 terminating in a short cylindrical neck 38 which is adapted to freely encircle the closed forward end 2i of the shell 18. The enlarged forward end of the cap 34 is provided with a plurality of longitudinal substantially bullet- 35 shaped ribs 39, which are pressed outwardly and are herein shown as arranged in four pairs, each pair being spaced apart at substantially 90 degrees from its adjacent pair.

In order to detachably secure the head unit I6 to the shell l8, provision is made of a cylindrical screw sleeve 40 disposed within the rear portiton. of the cap member 35 and spaced forwardly from the neck portion 38 thereof. The interior screw sleeve to is secured to said shell Is by the instrumentality of an integral outwardly inclined forwardly extending flange 4| soldered or otherwise secured to said cap member. The sleeve 40 has threads 42 rolled into its forward portion 43, which threads are adapted to engage with the threads 22 of the body shell l8, whereby the cap 35 may be connected to the shell i8 and ad- Justed longitudinally relatively thereto whenever desired. The screw sleeve 40 is provided with an unthreaded rear cylindrical section 40a having a spring 66.

plurality of inwardly extending nubs 49b for the purpose. of frictionally engaging the threaded front section 22 of the central casing I9 to hold the head securely in any desired adjusted position thereon,

A fiat glass lens 45 is held at thefront of the head unit by means of a resilient holding ring 46 having an annular rib 41 provided upon its periphery disposed substantially intermediate its ends. The ring 46 also has an inwardly directed front bezel flange 48 for engagingthe edge of the lens 45 to retain it in position. By means of the above construction, it will be seen that by pushing the lens inwardly and then twisting and slightly distorting the ring 46 elliptically, the lens and holding ring may be removed from the head unit 56. The ring is of such diameter that it loosely fits the circular front opening 35 in the cap 34 and extends partly therethrough with the annular rib 4! abutting the inner surface of the cap 34 surrounding the opening 36. Provision is also made of a reflector 49 having an outwardly projecting annular flange 56 fitted within the ring 46. The front surface of the reflector flange 59 is adapted to engage the inner face of the glass lens 45 for maintaining the front face thereof in contact with the flange 48 of the holding ring 46.

The reflector 49 is provided at its inner end with a cylindrical rear collar 5| of sufficient diameter to clear the bulb 39 when the cap 34 is longitudinally moved relatively to the central shell l8, and by adjusting the position of the head with respect to the shell, the reflected beam of light may be controlled as desired.

A tapered coiled compression spring 52 is also provided with its large diameter end engaging the rear of the reflector 49, and with its smaller end engaging. the closed front face 2| of the shell 18. The several parts of the head unit IE will thus be detachably maintained in assembled position, and suflicient frictional force will be exerted between the cooperating threads 22 and 42 on the shell l8 andthe sleeve 39 respectively to hold the head in its adjusted position without looseness. The above arrangement thus provides a cushioned or shock absorbing structure whereby the possibility of breakage will be reduced.

Base unit The base unit i I includes a cap 55 having a cylindrical forward portion 56 of the same diameter as the shell l8 and having soldered therein a screw sleeve 51, the threads 58 of which are adapted to fit the external threads 29 on the rear end of the shell l8. The screw sleeve 51 also has an inwardly directed flange 59 at its rear end which is spaced from the threaded portion thereof by a short cylindrical section 60. The base cap ll has a dome-shaped rear end 6| provided with a plurality of bullet-shaped raised ribs 62. As in the case of the ribs 39 on the head unit, the ribs 62 are arranged in four pairs spaced apart about the cap 55 at degree intervals. Thedome-shaped end 6! of the-base cap 55 forms a convenient means for housing a spare bulb 63, the bulb 63 being carried in the first form shown in Figs. 2 and 11 by means of a U-shaped spring clip 64 mounted upon a disc 65. The edge of the disc 65 is held against theinturned flange 59, with the clip 64 and spare bulb 63 extending into the domeshaped end 6|, by a tapered coil compression The spring 66 is so shaped that its largest rear coil 61 will snap behind the threads 58 of the screw sleeve 51 and expand into the annular recess formed by the short cylindrical section 69. The spring will thus be removably secured in position and will prevent said disc and spare bulb 63 from falling out when the base cap I! is removed as a unit from the flashlight casing i8. As shown in Fig. 12, the bottom end portion 68 of the spring 66 is bent downwardly and inwardly from its true spiral form, whereby when the spring is compressed, as shown in Fig. 2, between the rear end of the battery 29 and the disc 65, the bent end 68 will strongly engage the disc 65, thus insuring a. tight engagement thereof with the adjacent flange,.59 of the screw sleeve 51. The spring 66 also serves as a conductor for electrically connecting the rear terminal of the battery 29 with the lamp circuit and said spring maintains the front' battery terminal 28a in tight contact with the conductor structure 28.

One advantage of the improved flashlight herein described is that no threads are visible from the exterior of the casing. Moreover, the armately domed casing of the switch 21 and the streamlined head cap 34, and the base cap 55 give a pleasing appearance to the flashlight and facilitate the convenient use thereof. Of particular importance is the fact that there are no irregular surfaces or abrupt edges which might result in discomfort to or Wear the pocket of the user.

The ribs 39 and 62 'on the head and base units l6 and I1 respectively, in addition to enhancing the ornamental appearance of the flashlight, provide stiffening means for strengthening its structure, the ribs 39 serving to prevent rolling of the flashlight when it is placed upon an inclined surface. The ribs 39 and 62 also provide finger grips-to facilitate the manual turning of the head and base units relatively to the shell H3. The springs 52 and 66 serve to frictionally hold the capand base firmly in position, as well as forming shock absorbing means to prevent breakage of the parts thereof. The front coiled spring 52 normally presses the glass lens unit forwardly, but is adapted to yield rearwardly whenever pressure is applied thereto. By the distortion of the resilient lens holding ring 46 out of round, the lens 45, the ring 46, and the reflector 49 may be easily removed from the head cap 34 without unscrewing the head unit or disturbing the battery cells 29 or base cap 55 in any way. By extending the ring 46 outwardly from the cap 34 and providing the flange 48 in front of the lens 45, the latter is protected from breakage by accidentally striking against external objects.

While there has been disclosed in this specification several forms in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that these forms are shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosures but may be modifled and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent is:

1. In a flashlight, a cylindrical casing provided with a threaded front end, a hollow head for attachment to said end and adjustable thereon, said head having a forwardly diverging flared rear end, a casing attaching sleeve secured within the rear smaller end of said head and extending thereinto in spaced relation therewith, said attaching sleeve being threaded for detachable engagement with the head-carrying end of said casing, and said head having at its rear end a smooth sleeve portion adapted to over-lie a section of the casing adjacent the threaded end to conceal the threads thereof.

2. In a portable flashlight, a casing having a threaded front end, a hollow shell adjustable on said casing and having a circular forward opening, a lens retained within said opening, a cylindrical threaded sleeve within said shell having means for permanent attachment to the smaller rear end of said shell, said sleeve having portions projecting from the surface thereof to effect an adjustable frictional engagement between said head unit and said casing to-retain said head at any desired adjusted focal position.

3. In a portable flashlight, a hollow head cap open at both ends, a lens and a lens-holding ring disposed in the front opening of said cap, said ring having laterally extending means to engage the. edge of said front opening to prevent said ring from passing therethrough, said ring havingrearwardly extending means behind said laterally extending means, a reflector behind said lens, a coiled spring behind said reflector, said reflector and coiled spring being interfltted with and centralized by said rearwardly extending means..

4. In a portable flashlight, a cylindrical casing having a closed end and provided with a threaded front portion, a head cap open at both ends and having a flaring forwardly diverging rear end, a threaded sleeve secured within the rear end of said cap and adapted to screw upon the front portion of said casing, a lens-holding ring fitted into the forward open end of said cap and having outwardly projecting means for engaging the inside wall of said shell, a reflector behind said lens, a coiled spring seated on the closed end of said casing for holding the reflector and lens-holding ring in position in the head shell, the rear portion of said ring and the adjacent portion of said reflector deflning an annular groove for the reception of the forward end of said spring. J

5. In a flashlight, a substantially cylindrical body casing, a hollow head cap detachably secured to the front of said shell, said head cap being enlarged and adjustably mounted on said casing to permit the focus of the flashlight to be varied, a cylindrical sleeve member located within said head cap and spaced inwardly therefrom for detachable engagement with one end of said body casing, said sleeve member having an outwardly-inclined flange permanently secured to the inner surface of said enlarged head cap.

6. In a flashlight having a casing, a hollow head cap for attachment to the front of said casing, said head cap having a forwardly diverging flared rear end, a casing attaching sleeve disposed within and spaced from the inner wall of said head cap, said sleeve secured within said head cap and being adjustable along the front end of said casing to vary the focus of the flashlight.

7. In a portable flashlight, a cylindrical casing for carrying a battery and an electric lamp adapted to be supplied with current from said battery, said casing having a switch for controlling the circuit through said'lamp and battery, a longitudinally convex smooth escutcheon enclosing said switch, and a longitudinally convex manually-operated switch-actuating member slidable over the smooth surface of said escutcheon and movable towards the axis of the flashlight for closing said switch.

8. In a portable flashlight, a cylindrical casing for carrying a battery and an electric lamp adapted to be supplied-with current from said battery, said casing having a switch for controlling the circuit through said lamp and battery, a longitudinally convex smooth escutcheon enclosing said switch, and a manually-operated switch-actuating member slidable over the smooth surface of said escutcheon and movable inwardly toward the axis of the'flashlight to close said switch.

9. In a flashlight, a cylindrical central shell having a reduced threaded rear section, a hollow base cap having a cylindrical open section fitting over said reducedrear section, said base cap having an interior screw sleeve within said cylindrical section and adapted to engage the threads of said reduced rear section, the exterior surface of said cap being flush with said central shell and the threads of said shell being concealed by said base cap, said cap having a smooth unthreaded collar extending beyond said sleeve.

10. In a flashlight, a battery holding casing,

, a hollow base cap telescoped over the base end cylindrical threaded sleeve within said shell having means for permanent attachment to the smaller rear end of said shell, said sleeve and casing having interengaging portions to effect an adjustable, frictional engagement between said head unit and said casing to retain said head at any desired focal position.

12. A flashlight comprising a battery box shell having a forward end provided with an exterior thread, a head unit comprising a hollow shell having a forward light transmitting opening and a side wall defining a forwardly diverging flared rear end encircling the forward end of the box shell and merging substantially smoothly with the main body of the box shell rearwardiy of said forward end, a cylindrical sleeve supported within the head shell and having a thread with which the thread of the box shell engages to hold the parts adjustably assembled to permit variation of the focus of the flashlight, and an end cap comprising a shell having an exterior surface merging substantially smoothly with the exterior surface'of the box shell, the end cap shell and the box shell being united by a threaded extremity on one of said shells, and a cooperating threaded sleeve fitting within the end of the other shell and shorter than the same and within which sleeve the threaded extremity telescopes.

13. In a flashlight, a casing unit, a hollow base cap unit telescoped with the rear end of the casing unit, the outer telescoped unit having a smooth unthreadedexterior surface, a screw threaded sleeve carried within the outer telesco'ped unit, and the inner unit having a screw threaded portion engagingth'e sleeve to hold the units together, said base cap unit having a hollow spare bulb chamber extending beyond the telescoped parts of the units.

14. In a. flashlight having a leasing, a hollow head cap for attachment to the front of said casing, said head cap having a forwardly diverging flared rear end, a casing attaching sleeve disposed within and spaced from the inner 'wall of said head cap, said sleeve secured within said head cap and being adjustable along the front end of said casing to vary the focus of the flashlight, said head cap having an integral inturned forward lens-holding end? EMERSON H. TOMPKINS. DONALD L. SPENDER.

DISCLAIMER 2,097,222.Emers0n H. Tompkins and Donald L. Spender, Waterbury, Conn. FLASH- LIGHT. Patent dated October 26, 1937. Disclaimer filed October 3, 1940, by the assignee, Seoeill Manufacturing Company. P Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 1, 5, 6, 9, 11, 13, and 14 of said Letters atent.

[Oflicial Gazette October 29,1940] DISCLAIMER 2,097 ,222.Emerson H. Tompkins and Donald L. Spender, Waterbury, Conn. FLASH- LIGHT. Patent dated October 26, 1937. Drsclanner filed October 3, 1940,

by the assignee, Scom'll Manufacturing Company. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 1, 5, 6, 9, 11, 13, and 14 of said Letters Patent.

[Ojficial Gazette October 29 1940.] 

